London sightseers were treated to 5-foot papier-mâché gherkins and fried pickles as part of the Dog and Bell pub’s 29th annual Pickle Festival.
In addition to “frickles,” which are pickles cut into spirals, battered, and fried, festivalgoers were offered the chance to sample from 320 entrants in a “best pickle” contest.
The competition originated in one bumper harvest when locals received more “marrows, courgettes, and onions” than could possibly be eaten, prompting them to try to preserve as many as they could, the Dog and Bell’s operator told The Londoner: The celebration has since swelled in size, allowing pickle-lovers to indulge while sipping pints and enjoying live music — all in pursuit of providing “country pub vibes in the city.”